Articles for category: Plants

The Surprising Beauty of "Weedy" Native Plants

How to Build a Beautiful Garden Without Inviting Ecological Disaster

Annette Uy

Picture this: you’ve spent months crafting the perfect garden, complete with vibrant flowers and lush greenery, only to discover that your well-intentioned paradise has become an ecological nightmare. Your beautiful butterfly bush is choking out native wildflowers, your ornamental pond has become a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes, and that gorgeous purple loosestrife you planted ...

The Desert That Turns Pink Every Few Years

The Desert That Turns Pink Every Few Years

Annette Uy

Picture this: you’re standing in what seems like an endless stretch of barren desert, when suddenly the landscape around you transforms into something that looks like it belongs on another planet. The sand shifts from its usual golden brown to vibrant shades of pink, creating a spectacle so breathtaking that it feels almost magical. This ...

The Pollinator Crisis Connection

From Ornamental to Outlaw: How Invasive Plants Go Rogue in American Landscapes

Annette Uy

Picture this: You’re admiring a beautiful garden filled with exotic flowers and lush greenery, completely unaware that some of these seemingly innocent plants are secretly plotting to take over entire ecosystems. What starts as a homeowner’s dream of creating the perfect landscape can quickly turn into an ecological nightmare that threatens native wildlife, costs billions ...

From Pretty to Problematic: What to Plant Instead of English Ivy

From Pretty to Problematic: What to Plant Instead of English Ivy

Annette Uy

English ivy might look charming cascading down brick walls and draping over garden fences, but this seemingly innocent green beauty harbors a dark secret. What started as an ornamental darling brought over by European settlers has transformed into one of North America’s most aggressive invasive species, silently strangling native ecosystems and causing millions of dollars ...

A vibrant close-up of pink and white clover flowers set amidst lush green foliage, showcasing natural beauty.

From Invasive to Inspired: How Gardeners Are Reclaiming Suburban Ecosystems

Maria Faith Saligumba

Imagine walking through your neighborhood and noticing something extraordinary happening in the yards around you. Where once sterile lawns stretched endlessly, now native wildflowers dance in the breeze, butterflies flit between indigenous shrubs, and the air buzzes with the activity of countless beneficial insects. This isn’t a fantasy – it’s the quiet revolution taking place ...

Forests Emitting Low-Frequency Energy

Forests Emitting Low-Frequency Energy

Andrew Alpin

The mysterious phenomenon of trees and forests generating their own electrical signals has captivated researchers worldwide. These natural electrical patterns, operating at incredibly low frequencies, represent one of nature’s most intriguing systems that most people have never heard of. Scientists have discovered that old-growth forests don’t just absorb and release carbon dioxide. They actually function ...

Moss Campion: The Cushion of Life

The Plant That Traps Air for Warmth — And Lives on Frozen Mountains

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine standing on a windswept mountain ridge, the world below blanketed in shimmering snow, biting winds howling all around. Suddenly, you spot an emerald green cushion, almost like a secret garden nestled in the ice. This isn’t just any plant. It’s a marvel of nature—a living, breathing heater, defying the cold by trapping air for ...

Lessons from the Underground Forest

The Underground Forest of Missouri: A Hidden Ecosystem Beneath Our Feet

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine walking through Missouri’s rolling hills, feeling the crunch of leaves beneath your boots, and never suspecting that just a few feet below, an entire forest pulses with silent, unseen life. It’s not a myth or a fantasy—it’s the reality of the underground forest, a mysterious and vibrant ecosystem hidden right beneath our feet. While ...

Breathtaking view of red rock formations and lush greenery in Sedona, Arizona.

The Desert Plant That Creates Its Own Fog to Drink from the Air

Maria Faith Saligumba

Picture this: you’re standing in one of the world’s most arid deserts, where rain might not fall for years at a time. The scorching sun beats down mercilessly, and every drop of moisture seems to have vanished into thin air. Yet somehow, life not only survives but thrives in this seemingly impossible environment. What if ...